1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting protective material to buildings, dwellings and other structures. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus that permits rapid and convenient mounting of protective coverings over windows, doors and/or other features of buildings, dwellings and other structures.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Hurricanes, storms and other violent weather events can cause serious bodily injury and death, as well as significant damage to property. With modern weather tracking and forecasting tools, inhabitants frequently receive advance warning of approaching hurricanes, storms or other violent weather events. In such cases, prior to the arrival of the storm or other weather event, people will frequently attempt to safeguard their person or property by temporarily mounting protective coverings over doors, windows and/or other vulnerable features of buildings, dwellings and/or other structures.
In many cases, such efforts involve securing storm covers—frequently comprising panels constructed of plywood or other similar materials—to vertical exterior surfaces of such buildings, dwellings and/or other structures. Although such storm covers can be secured to buildings or other structures at multiple different locations, in most cases the storm covers are temporarily mounted over doors, windows, or other breakable features of such buildings or other structures. When installed, such storm covers provide a rigid protective barrier to shield glass and other breakable features from wind damage and/or flying debris. After the storm or other threat passes, such storm covers can be removed and discarded, or stored for reuse during the next storm or other violent weather event.
Although such storm covers are typically temporarily mounted over windows, doors and/or other features, existing mounting methods generally require a substantial amount of time, effort and expense to accomplish. In many cases, property owners secure wooden storm panels over windows, doors or other openings using nails, wood screws, or other similar fasteners. After the wooden panels are measured and cut to desired dimensions, the edges of such panels are nailed or screwed directly to external surfaces or wooden components of a building, dwelling or other structure. One disadvantage of this approach is that installation of such storm panels can cause serious damage to the building or other structure; after the storm panels are removed, the holes caused by such nails or other fasteners must be filled, and the surfaces of the building or other structure typically must be repaired.
Another existing method of mounting storm panels involves embedding anchor bolts into the external surfaces of the buildings, dwellings or other structures to be protected, especially on brick veneer surfaces where nails or other similar fasteners do not represent a viable option. Such bolts protrude from such external surfaces at predetermined locations. However, such exposed bolts can frequently detract from the aesthetic appearance of the building, dwelling or other structure. Further, over time, such exposed bolts can be susceptible to rust or other weathering effects that can make such bolts difficult to use. Moreover, placement of such bolts is critical, since attachment points on the storm panel must be carefully measured to ensure that all the bolts will align with corresponding apertures in the storm panels.
Existing methods of mounting storm panels can be time consuming and expensive. Measuring and nailing plywood to the external surface of buildings or other structures can be hard work. Similarly, measuring and customizing storm panels so that they can be properly aligned with, and attached to, embedded bolts can also be time consuming and difficult work. In certain locations, such as hurricane-prone areas, property owners may be required to repeat these processes several times a year. Further, depending on the amount of advance notice, such work must frequently be performed in a relatively short amount of time.
In light of the foregoing, it is desirable to have an inexpensive and easy to use apparatus for temporarily but securely mounting storm panels to buildings, dwellings and/or other structures to protect against harmful effects of storms or violent weather. Such apparatus should work with many different sizes of panels, and should not cause permanent damage to buildings, dwellings and/or other structures. Further, such apparatus should be inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing, and should permit both rapid installation and removal of such storm panels.